The Bengals will be shorthanded on the edge to begin the season. Second-year defensive end Myles Murphy suffered a non-contact injury in practice, and he is now facing a multi-week absence due to a knee sprain.
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Murphy avoided the worst-case scenario, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network notes. Nevertheless, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds that the Bengals are expecting a recovery timeline of four to six weeks. That should keep the 2023 first-rounder sidelined for at least the first game of the campaign as he looks to carve out a larger role than the one he had as a rookie.
The Clemson product logged a 28% defensive snap share last year, although his usage saw a notable uptick toward the latter half of the season. If Murphy continues that increase in workload once healthy, he could be in line to produce more than the three sacks and six pressures he totaled in 2023. As Fowler notes, though, the Bengals will proceed with caution regarding Murphy’s recovery process.
The 22-year-old had a strong sophomore campaign in college, but his production and consistency took a step back in his junior campaign. Murphy still entered the league with high expectations as the No. 28 pick in his draft class, and he is set to serve as a key member of Cincinnati’s defense when healthy. Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard will remain defensive end starters as Murphy recovers.
The Bengals also have Joseph Ossai in place as a young member of their edge contingent. He is entering the final year of his rookie contract, though, and a free agent departure could pave the way for increased reps in Murphy’s case starting in 2025. The latter should be back in the fold without missing too much regular season game time, but his absence will still be felt for the coming weeks.
